Exhibitors who sell, represent and/or manufacture beer, wine and/or liquor are permitted to serve tasting (4 oz. beer, 1.5 oz wine or .5 oz spirits) samples from their booth at the Maine Restaurant & Lodging Expo. If you're one of these companies, you know that such sampling is an important part of your Expo marketing experience and a feature that keeps our event vibrant. It is, however, a privilege that we are afforded this opportunity and is essential that everyone involved maintain the highest level of propriety throughout the process.

If you'll be offering samples at your booth you must agree to adhere to the guidelines set forth below. Please read the following stipulations carefully and contact us should you have any questions or if you are in need of clarification. Liability concerns coupled with strict and complex Maine alcohol laws make it impossible for us to waiver on any rules related to the service of alcohol at our event. We appreciate your full cooperation.

Pouring Guidelines & The Ordering Process

The Cross Insurance Arena is a liquor license holder. The Maine Restaurant & Lodging Expo operates under their Maine Liquor License. All pouring and serving of samples is conducted by their staff.

All alcohol to be poured at an exhibit booth will be ordered by the Cross Insurance Arena (the licensee). You may not bring any alcoholic beverages into the building.

ORDERING PROCESS: To order the product(s) that will be served at your booth, send your order to events@mainerestaurant.com or by fax to 866-711-5408. Please also specify if you need a kegerator. Orders must be placed at least two weeks in advance of the show date, no later than March 14. Orders will be filled through the Arena’s normal supply channels for your product. The product will be delivered to your booth by a Cross Insurance Arena bartender on the morning of the show (3/29/17) prior to the start of the event.

PAYMENT POLICY: You must reimburse the Maine Restaurant Association for the cost of the alcohol you order for the show. We will send you an invoice once the order has been placed. Payments may be made in advance of the show but MUST be paid no later than the day of booth set-up (03/28/2018). It is imperative that payments be made on time as no alcohol will be released until payment is rendered. You will be charged only for the actual wholesale cost plus 8% Maine State Sales Tax for the product contained in your order. Please check your product carefully once you are onsite for the event to be sure your order is complete and accurate – no more, no less.

ICE:Ice will be provide to alcohol vendors on the day of the show.

Any product leftover, whether full or partly full, must remain on premises with the Cross Insurance Arena. As the licensee and purchaser of the product, it remains their property and cannot be transferred to the exhibitor. Exhibitors will not be reimbursed for unused product so please order wisely.

DISPLAY BOTTLES: If you wish to have sample bottles for display only, not sampling, they must be “dummy” bottles that contain no alcohol.

All exhibitors that wish to offer alcohol samples at their booth must have contracted with the show producer (Maine Restaurant Association) for a bartender. The producer will arrange for the Cross Insurance Arena to staff your booth with an Arena employee/bartender. That bartender will pour and serve alcoholic beverages as an employee of the licensee - the Cross Insurance Arena. You may bring your own sample size logo cups if you wish to use your own or, you may use Arena supplied cups. Any other special requests should be made prior to the day of the show.

Maine Bureau of Liquor Licensing may be present at the show. The Maine Restaurant Association and the Maine Innkeepers Association enjoy excellent relationships with this state licensing agency. We know our exhibitors value their relationship with this agency as well. We appreciate you permitting no activity(ies) at your booth that could tarnish these relationships. Bringing extra product to the Expo or permitting employees staffing your exhibit booth to consume alcohol on premises is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Bartenders working for the licensee will check identification prior to serving samples. Restaurateurs and hoteliers attend the event to learn about and sample new and existing products. We appreciate your assistance in promoting the Expo as a tasting venue.

We
will do anything possible to make Expo a great show for you and your
company. Please let us know if we may be of further assistance.